YouGov and Microsoft through XBox Live managed to track down previously undecided voters who were watching the debate via their console. While a similar group judged the last debate for Romney, this time they went the other way:

Mark Blumenthal (@MysteryPollster)

[2/3] 988 undecided voters before the debate judged Obama the winner by a 51-17 margin in #YouGov#xboxpoll

Romney overplayed his hand

Just as clearly as the first debate was a win for Mitt Romney, this debate was a win for Barack Obama – although not as a lop-sided an outcome as the 3 October result was for the Republican.

Romney overdid it here, which seem strange because he could have coasted a little and played safe. But his gung-ho style came across as tetchy in the town hall format, and it rebounded when he couldn't repeat his trick of the last debate of gaming the moderator's patience and taking up every scrap of spare speaking time.

Several times Romney got gently slapped down, up the point when Crowley actually told him to sit down, albeit politely. How that sort of posturing comes across is anyone's guess but predictions that Romney would get rattled and play the ref were accurate.

Obama's gentle needling paid off particularly in the Libya answer, when Romney had obviously come to believe his campaign's own rhetoric that the White House had somehow avoided calling the Benghazi attacks an act of terror. He thought he had Obama trapped; instead, it was Romney who went into the ditch. Romney seemed to flag after that, although his prepared closing remarks were spirited and well oiled.

Obama had a better time of it, pushing back against Romney's coin-clipping and cheese-paring, but probably spent too much time attacking Romney to have made this a rout. He still has no clear, positive answer on the economy and jobs to give. Depressingly, neither candidate has much to say on economics.

This debate was better run than the previous one, and it was better for it, while the range of questions was broader, which hurt Romney and helped Obama. Romney's answers on the likes of gun control, immigration and pay equality didn't even flirt with the questions that were asked. As in the Republican debates, he looked out of his depth.

Yet the gravestone of this debate has Libya marked on it. It was Romney's big opportunity to hit a home run. But like Alex Rodriguez, he couldn't even take a swing tonight.

Updated at 1.07pm BST

5.21am BST

US president Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney spar in the second debate. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Updated at 6.19am BST

5.17am BST

With further Romney campaign quibbling about how long it took Obama and the White House to call the Benghazi attack and act of terror, there's also this, via Josh Rogin at FP, pointing out that Obama did so explicitly:

But on Sept. 13, at a campaign event in Colorado, Obama again used the phrase "act of terror" and this time tied it directly to the Benghazi attack.

"So what I want all of you to know is that we are going to bring those who killed our fellow Americans to justice. I want people around the world to hear me: To all those who would do us harm, no act of terror will go unpunished. It will not dim the light of the values that we proudly present to the rest of the world. No act of violence shakes the resolve of the United States of America," he said.

So we've all had a laugh at the "binders full of women" thing. But it turns out that Mitt Romney wasn't telling the truth about that, either.

Here's the transcript:

Mitt Romney: An important topic, and one which I learned a great deal about, particularly as I was serving as governor of my state, because I had the chance to pull together a cabinet and all the applicants seemed to be men.

And I went to my staff, and I said, "How come all the people for these jobs are all men." They said, "Well, these are the people that have the qualifications." And I said, "Well, gosh, can't we, can't we find some women that are also qualified?"

And so we took a concerted effort to go out and find women who had backgrounds that could be qualified to become members of our cabinet.

I went to a number of women's groups and said, "Can you help us find folks," and they brought us whole binders full of women.

What actually happened was that in 2002 – prior to the election, not even knowing yet whether it would be a Republican or Democratic administration – a bipartisan group of women in Massachusetts formed MassGAP to address the problem of few women in senior leadership positions in state government. There were more than 40 organizations involved with the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus (also bipartisan) as the lead sponsor.

They did the research and put together the binder full of women qualified for all the different cabinet positions, agency heads, and authorities and commissions. They presented this binder to Governor Romney when he was elected.

I have written about this before, in various contexts; tonight I've checked with several people directly involved in the MassGAP effort who confirm that this history as I've just presented it is correct – and that Romney's claim tonight, that he asked for such a study, is false.

More good news for America: the Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees 2-1. Tigers lead the series 3-0.

Anyone who says play-off games don't change anything are wrong.

4.58am BST

Mitt Romney's Libya gaffe

The Romney campaign is still maintaining that their man was right when he tried to claim that President Obama did not label the Benghazi attacks as terrorist until two weeks after the event – despite tripping up and bloodying their candidate's nose during the debate.

Here's the back and forth from the debate tonight:

OBAMA: The day after the attack, Governor, I stood in the Rose Garden, and I told the American people and the world that we are going to find out exactly what happened, that this was an act of terror. And I also said that we’re going to hunt down those who committed this crime. And then a few days later, I was there greeting the caskets coming into Andrews Air Force Base and grieving with the families.

And the suggestion that anybody in my team, whether the secretary of state, our UN ambassador, anybody on my team would play politics or mislead when we’ve lost four of our own, Governor, is offensive. That’s not what we do. That’s not what I do as president. That’s not what I do as commander in chief.

CROWLEY: Governor, if you want to reply just quickly to this, please.

ROMNEY: Yeah, I — I certainly do. I certainly do. I — I think it’s interesting the president just said something which is that on the day after the attack, he went in the Rose Garden and said that this was an act of terror. You said in the Rose Garden the day after the attack it was an act of terror? It was not a spontaneous demonstration?

OBAMA: Please proceed.

ROMNEY: Is that what you’re saying?

OBAMA: Please proceed, Governor.

ROMNEY: I — I — I want to make sure we get that for the record, because it took the president 14 days before he called the attack in Benghazi an act of terror.

No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for. Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America. We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act. And make no mistake, justice will be done.

Keith White (@Keethers)

Wow, Krauthammer thinks Obama won on points. Said Romney missed on Libya. Made tactical errors. Telling.

In the spin room, David Axelrod, Obama's campaign adviser, said: "Tonight (Romney) was cornered and ran out off room. It was clear to the American people he was exposed tonight."

Romney's adviser, Ed Gillespie, said: "The momentum continues for Governor Romney." Asked about Romney's failure to control the debate as he had in Denver, he said: "I don't think it changes the dynamic. This was never about style. It is about substance – jobs – and that has not changed."

Funny how the losing campaign always says the debate was about "substance".

Updated at 4.12am BST

4.09am BST

Mitt Romney's trade-war-on-China jabs included a mention of a fake Apple store in China. The Guardian covered this well over a year ago – the store itself is probably long gone, after all the publicity it got – but it seems that while the store itself was dressed up to look a lot like an Apple store, it sold genuine Apple products.

So, duh. I've seen "fake" Apple stores in America if that's the criteria.

3.59am BST

Fake Apple stores

In a discussion about American jobs, Mitt Romney said there were "even fake Apple stores in China". He's right, according to this Guardian blog post from last year, although they were selling genuine Apple goods. The BBC later reported that Chinese authorities had moved to close them down.

The Obama team has learned from last week when Romney flooded the Spin Room early, with the Obama team failing to field any _ or at least only a handful – for the first ten minutes.

Tonight, with five minutes before the end of the debate, the Obama team flooded the Spin Room, filling it with blue signs. The Romney team rushed in people, but they left an impression of being harried, turning up late.

Obama pushed back hard at Romney's suggestion that his administration had cut back on offshore oil exploration and oil and gas drilling on public lands – and repeatedly interrupted the Republican contender when he tried to protest.

Obama also took Romney on for accusing the administration of crushing the coal industry. "Not true, governor Romney," the president said repeatedly.

"We've opened up public lands, we're actually drilling more on public lands than the previous president and he was an oil man," Obama said.

3.46am BST

Here's the instant response from Ewen MacAskill, at the scene of the debate-crime:

Barack Obama staged a strong comeback in his second showdown with Mitt Romney, with the president describing his Republican opponent as "offensive" in suggesting he was playing politics over Benghazi and portraying him as more extreme than George W Bush on social issues such as women's rights.

The extent of the personal dislike between the two was evident in the second presidential debate, held at Hofstra University, Long Island In one explosive scene, the two, only feet apart, wagging fingers at one another, talking over one another, accusing each other of lying.

Obama more than matched Romney and ended the stronger of the two on the night, leaving the Republican candidate looking flustered at times, particularly over Libya.

The president was animated, confident, clearer, in contrast with Denver. If Obama had produced a performance like this in the first presidential debate in Denver on 3 October, he might not have seen his poll leads overturned and now in a deadheat with Romney nationally and in many swing states. It was not a bad performance by Romney but Obama edged him out on the night.

Last question! It's the "fun" question: what misperception does the American people have of you?

After vaguely saying that the Obama campaign has been mean, Romney goes on: "I care about 100% of the American people," a reference to the 47% stuff.

Once again, Romney is utterly ignoring whatever the question is and just perorating away. And why not? It's a silly question.

"I've done these things!" Romney croaks out at the end.

3.34am BST

Candy Crowley points out that iPads are all made in China and wants to know what can be done to get them to move manufacturing back to the US.

"We can compete with anyone in the world as long as the playing field is level," says Romney, which is just nonsense.

Obama steps in and cuts him off again, Romney deflates like a Chinese lantern, and Obama points out that "some jobs are never coming back" because they are low paying jobs.

3.32am BST

Now a question about off-shoring jobs. Presumably Mitt Romney is ready for this one.

Romney reaches for the "trickle down government" line and the naughtiness of China. This has nothing to do with off-shoring, really.

"On day one I will label China a currency manipulator," says Romney. Great: you've just put up the price of everything in Walmart.

Romney's in his sweet spot here, which is the general job creation thing.

"There's no question that Obamacare has been an extraordinary deterrent to hiring people," says Romney. Uh huh, that would be the Obamacare that doesn't come into effect until 2014.

And now Obama is laying into the Romney record on China outsourcing.

3.26am BST

And another unusual question: gun control, specifically the lack of it.

Obama doesn't have much to say, and neither does Mitt Romney but after that Libya cock-up his brain is mush and he starts going on about two parent families – what? – and the botched Fast & Furious gun-running sting, which is a whole different ballgame and beside the point.

Now Obama is gaming the moderator and getting away with it. How the tempo has changed.

Updated at 6.21am BST

3.23am BST

'Binders full of women'

Here's a video replay of that badly phrased comment by Romney from earlier on, courtesy NowThisNews.

Updated at 4.00am BST

3.20am BST

'Look at the transcript'

Oh dear, Romney just shot himself in the foot right there. After Obama makes another play about taking responsibility for the events in Libya, Romney thinks he's got him for claiming he called it terrorism in his Rose Garden address the day after.

Wrong, Mitt Romney, Obama interjects "Look at the transcript," and Candy Crowley backs Obama up: he did call it terrorism. Romney's lower lip actually wobbles a bit there as he stutters, and Obama steps off his stool and ends the question.

Wow, talk about over-playing your hand, Mitt Romney. As Howard Cosell said to Evander Holyfield in the 1984 Olympics: "You must be a broken man."

Sabrina Siddiqui (@SabrinaSiddiqui)

The audience is clapping, Candy is correcting Romney, Obama is roasting his opponent. Libya not going Romney's way at all. #debates

A question on Libya and the security of the Benghazi consulate, where four American officials were killed, as is well known.

Obama fluffs around the topic but does own up: "I am ultimately responsible for what’s taking place there." Also: "I'm the one who has to greet those coffins when they come home, so you know I mean what I say."

No that's interesting, because the word yesterday was that Hillary Clinton was taking the fall, and what the Romney campaign was expecting, which might explain why Romney can't calibrate his reply.

3.09am BST

Eek, Mitt Romney – asked to respond about his crappy "self-deportation" thing, decides to relitigate some old answers he's obviously still fuming about.

Eventually Candy Crowley tells Romney to sit down, but not before Obama gets the first real laugh of the night, when Romney – why? god knows – tells him "to check your pension". Obama deadpans: "My pension's not as big as yours." Zing!

A question for Romney on immigration, and Romney's giving it the standard stump response, including stapling a green card to advanced degrees for foreign nationals.

Not that he actually answered the question, but no one seems to worry about these things any more. They should just dispense with questions and have people stand up and shout "immigration!" or "jobs!" or "Iran!" and let the candidates say what they are going to say anyway.

The question, by the way, was what to do about immigrants who don't have green cards, meaning that they are undocumented. Romney had, I think, nothing to say. Except that – and I'm not making this up – their children could join the military and get citizenship that way.

"I'm not in favour of rounding people up and sending them out of this country," says Romney, which will be news to to Republican primary voters.

Updated at 6.28am BST

2.58am BST

Now it's a curveball for Obama: "What have you done to earn my vote," asks a man. Well, Bin Laden's dead, says Obama.

Meanwhile, Mitt Romney feels his pain. "The president has tried but his policies haven't worked."

Anyway, Romney is showing he can do a town hall fomat just as well as a standard debate, when he's not kibbitzing about the rules and being a bit of a dick.

Half-time: Fight Night

The extent of hostility between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney exploded into view on the stage at Hofstra University, the two men feet apart, pointing fingers and shouting over one another.

They accused one another of lying, with looks that bordered on contempt. Romney, dispensing with the last vestiges of respect for the office of the president, said: "You will get your chance in a minute. I am speaking." Republicans will love the sight of Romney squaring off against Obama. And Democrats will just as much love Obama squaring off against Romney. But independents might view Romney's behaviour as rude.

Obama is much more animated, up for the fight tonight. He is clear, confrontational, making the case for his economic policies and denouncing Romney's. If he had turned in this performance in Denver, he might not be in such trouble now. But just matching Romney may no longer be enough to stop Romney's poll momentum. He may need a killer line or for Romney to make a gaffe but that has not happened yet.

2.52am BST

Oh now here is a great question: what is the difference between you and George Bush, Mitt Romney?

But Romney is getting slightly wound up about not getting the last word on the previous question. "I just want to make sure I got the last answer," he jabbers on.

Some more verbals.

Anything to avoid answering this question, of course, but Romney naturally makes zero of an attempt to answer the question. "President Bush had a very different path for a very different time," says Romney, on ... small businesses? Trade deals? These are the differences. Uh. George Bush didn't sign any trade deals? Crazy talk.

Obama is naturally keen to help out: "Governor, you're the last person to get tough on China," on the trade issue.

But there are some differences between Bush and Romney, Obama notes. "George Bush didn't turn Medicare into a voucher. George Bush embraced comprehensive immigration terms." And so on.

There are differences "but they aren't on economic policy," Obama finishes.

2.44am BST

A question on equal pay for women – a first for this debate season – and Mitt Romney talks about how awesome he was in hiring women in Massachusetts. "They brought us whole binders full of women," he relates after he complained that there weren't enough qualified women candidates.

Anyway, the economy will not only be so awesome that everyone will have jobs but all women will get employers offering them all sorts of benefits, but Romney doesn't actually address the issue: the Lily Ledbetter bill that enforces equal pay for women, as Obama points out.

In his reply Obama dives into healthcare as an issue for women in the workforce: "He suggested that employers should make the decsion whether or not women should get contraception through their insurers," Obama says.

Updated at 2.45am BST

2.39am BST

Here's a video recap of the first exchange, over education and jobs, from NowThisNews.

Updated at 3.23am BST

2.38am BST

Another bout of Mitt Romney trying to ride over the moderator and just keep talking, and nearly pulls it off but Candy Crowley backs him down, but only after some verbal pushing and shoving.

2.37am BST

Romney's doing this thing whereby when he's finished speaking after a question, he stays standing in the middle of the stage, hands by his side.

Obama's laying into Romney's own 14% and then the spending Romney has already pledged:

We haven't heard anything from the governor any specifics, other than Big Bird and cutting Planned Parenthood, on how he's going to pay for it.

Obama says that $7 trillion in extra spending with no details until after the election, to Romney: "You wouldn't have taken such a sketchy deal – and neither should you, the American people."

Romney gets all huffy: "I ran the state of Massachusetts as a governor ... and balanced the budget all four years," but doesn't mention that's required by law anyway.

2.32am BST

Here is Romney on his tax plan, and how it won't be a tax cut for the rich, ok? "The top 5% with continue to pay 60% as they do today," says Romney. Right, and if you cut the overall tax take, then the 60% gets smaller in proportion. Hence: they will get tax cuts, he's just not using the words.